The present invention relates to a novel self closing dispensing system, of the squeeze bottle class, within which fluid product to be dispensed is kept free from contaminating affects of air and in readiness for dispensing.
More specifically, this invention relates to an improved reusable squeeze bottle within which a collapsible flaccid bag, as disclosed in Applicant's co-pending application, containing dispensable fluid product is suspended in an air space and closed by a normally closed pressure actuated elastomeric valve that opens under outwards pressure indirectly applied thereon by a user's squeezing of said bottle for product dispensing. The valve, in its closed, state blocks back flow of air into the bag and thereby cooperates with the bag to keeps the product in dispensing readiness communication with the valve.
According to the invention, the bag progressively collapses as the product is dispensed and it remains in its collapsed state, keeping the product in dispensing readiness communication with the valve, between dispensing operations of the squeeze bottle. Dispensing can take place with the bottle in any attitude. This dispensing system is particularly useful for squirting fluids such as lubricating oils in an upwardly direction.
Heretofore squeeze bottle class dispensers have required the presence of air with the contained product and the product is allowed to settle at the bottom of the bottle between dispensing operations. And, for some viscous food products, such as mustard and honey, the bottle must be held in an upside down attitude and vigorously shook to gather product at the outlet, and be in an upside down attitude for dispensing. Even then dispensing is not entirely satisfactory because eructation of air with the product disrupts the product flow, and the bottle must be held in an upside down attitude during dispensing.
The present invention clearly advances the art of squeeze bottle dispensers and even more, it is a novel dispensing system that overcomes heretofore adversities of squeeze bottle dispensers. It enables dispensing in any direction, without regard to the attitude of the bottle, it provides undisrupted dispensing flow of fluid product, and it extends product freshness by keeping air away from product awaiting dispensation.